IGNOU to set up VTI for Northeast students

Agartala, Oct 8 (UNI) To provide better employment opportunity to youngsters here, Indira Gandhi National Open University(IGNOU) has announced plans to establish a Vocational Training Institute(VTI) at Guwahati cater to Northeastern Region.

IGNOU officials here today said that as part of its innovative mission out of the routine - reaching the unreached, the university would set up the VTI for the weaker section of the region at affordable limit to develop the skill of the youths.

They said with the overwhelming volume of operation makes IGNOU the biggest university in the world, which have over 1200 courses, 1700 study centres including 275 in North East, 21 Gyan Vani radio stations, 25000 counselors and its operation spread over 37 countries across the globe.

Officials have further informed that about 25 per cent of the students pursuing higher education today are doing so through the distant mode of education and in the very near future this figure would increase to 40 per cent, as the time has come for regulatory bodies to become more liberal and flexible in their attitude and update and revise the curriculum of courses in a way that suits the needs of the students.

They stated that Union HRD Ministry has brought the IGNOU, UGC and AICTE together in a convergence initiative to bridge the gap between conventional and distant modes of education, which would have a revolutionary impact on the effectiveness of distant mode of education in the spread of literacy and knowledge in the country.

UNI